How to move through a VRML scene

You can move through a VRML scene using either the mouse or the keyboard. How movement works depends on what movement mode you are using. Additionally, some popup menu choices affect your navigation or location in the scene.

Each time a VRML file is loaded, it is examined for the presence of an Info node called “Viewer”. If a node is found, its string is used to set the initial movement mode. If none is found, your movement mode is unchanged. You can change the current mode via the popup menu.

Walk mode

Walk mode is very similar to being in the scene and walking around. An important feature of Walk mode is that there is a notion of ‘up.’ The viewer attempts to keep your head upright. While you can nod your head, it automatically keeps your head from tilting to left or right.

Pressing the Shift key in combination with pressing the left mouse button or using motion keys will cause you to go faster.

Mouse controls

To use the mouse, press the left or right mouse button on the scene and move the mouse in the direction you want to walk. Dragging in a direction has the following effects:

Normally, pressing the left mouse button and dragging the mouse 'walks' you around in the world.

When the Alt key is pressed while holding down the left mouse button, your position is shifted from where you are standing, but your orientation isn't changed.

Pressing the right mouse button and dragging allows you to ‘examine’ an object, rolling the entire scene in the direction of the mouse movement. See the description of Examine Mode for more explanation.

You can also drag diagonally to combine movements. The further you move away from where you originally pressed the left button, the faster you will move.

Clicking and releasing the left mouse button on an object, while holding the Control key down walks you towards the object. Clicking and releasing the right mouse button brings up the VRML viewer’s popup menu.

Keyboard controls

The keyboard movements in Walk mode are as follows:

This key:
Does this:
With the Alt key pressed
it does this:

Turn left
Shift position left

Turn right
Shift position right

Walk forward
Shift position up

Back up
Shift position down
A
Look up
Look up
Z
Look down
Look down
The arrow keys all work the same as described for the mouse controls above. Using any of these with the Shift key down makes you go faster.

Fly mode

Fly mode is like being in an airplane. This airplane is really great... it can even hover and fly backwards. You move in whatever direction your nose is pointing. If you look up at the sky and then move forward, you start climbing. In addition in fly mode you can tilt the view from side to side.

Mouse controls

To use the mouse, press the left or right mouse button on the scene and move the mouse in the direction you want to fly. Pressing the Shift key at the same time makes you go faster. Press the right mouse button and drag to examine the scene. Dragging in a direction has the following effects:

Normally, pressing the left mouse button and dragging the mouse flies you around in the world. You start moving as soon as the mouse button is pressed. Steer by dragging the mouse. To go faster, press the Shift key. To move in Reverse, press the Z key while pressing the left mouse button.

When the Alt key is pressed, your position is shifted from where you are standing, but your orientation isn't changed.

Pressing the right mouse button and dragging allows you to ‘examine’ an object, rolling the entire scene in the direction of the mouse movement. See the description of Examine Mode for more explanation.

You can also drag diagonally to combine movements.

Clicking and releasing the left mouse button on an object, while holding the Control key down flies you towards the object. Clicking and releasing the right mouse button brings up the VRML viewer’s popup menu.

Keyboard controls

The keyboard movements in fly mode are as follows:

This key:
Does this:
With the Alt key pressed
it does this:

Turn left
Shift left

Turn right
Shift right

Turn up
Shift up

Turn down
Shift down
A
Go forward
Go forward
Z
Go backward
Go backward
Q
Tilt left
Roll left
E
Tilt right
Roll right
Using any of these with the Shift key down makes you go faster.

Examine mode

Examine mode is for looking at objects modeled in VRML. Rather than moving through a scene, examining is like holding an object in your hand and turning and twisting it to look at it carefully. You can also move the object closer and further away from your eyes.

Imagine the entire scene to be contained in a big glass ball, which is right in front of you. By spinning this ball, you can look at all sides of the scene or object. To spin the ball, use the right mouse button to 'grab' a point, and spin the ball around, much as you would a large trackball. The program attempts to keep the same point of the ball under the mouse cursor.

While both Walk and Fly mode support examining using the right mouse button, Examine mode also lets you examine using the keyboard. Briefly, Examine mode is just like Fly mode, except for the actions of the arrow keys. These keys let you “roll” the scene either horizontally or vertically.

You can also zoom in or move around using A and Z, the arrow keys combined with Alt, or the left mouse button. These do not affect the center of rotation. That is always defined by the sphere enveloping the world.

Probably the best way of using the examine interface is to rotate the object by grabbing it and rotating it using the right mouse button or the arrow keys, and using the left mouse button or A and Z keys to move in and move away from the object.

Mouse controls

Normally, pressing the left mouse button and dragging the mouse flies you around in the world. You start moving as soon as the mouse button is pressed. Steer by dragging the mouse. To go faster, press the Shift key. To move in Reverse, press the Z key while pressing the left mouse button.

When the Alt key is pressed, your position is shifted from where you are standing, but your orientation isn't changed.

Pressing the right mouse button and dragging allows you to ‘examine’ an object, rolling the entire scene in the direction of the mouse movement.

You can also drag diagonally to combine movements.

Keyboard controls

The keyboard movements in Examine mode are as follows:

This key:
Does this:
With the Alt key pressed
it does this:

Rolls the object left
Shift left

Rolls the object right
Shift right

Rolls the object up
Shift up

Rolls the object down
Shift down
A
Go forward
Go forward
Z
Go backward
Go backward
Q
Tilt left
Roll left
E
Tilt right
Roll right
Using any of these with the Shift key down makes you go faster.

Also see

The VRML popup menu

Normally, pressing the left mouse button and dragging the mouse 'walks' you around in the world.
When the Alt key is pressed while holding down the left mouse button, your position is shifted from where you are standing, but your orientation isn't changed.
Pressing the right mouse button and dragging allows you to ‘examine’ an object, rolling the entire scene in the direction of the mouse movement. See the description of Examine Mode for more explanation.

This key:	Does this:	With the Alt key pressed it does this:
	Turn left	Shift position left
	Turn right	Shift position right
	Walk forward	Shift position up
	Back up	Shift position down
A	Look up	Look up
Z	Look down	Look down

Normally, pressing the left mouse button and dragging the mouse flies you around in the world. You start moving as soon as the mouse button is pressed. Steer by dragging the mouse. To go faster, press the Shift key. To move in Reverse, press the Z key while pressing the left mouse button.
When the Alt key is pressed, your position is shifted from where you are standing, but your orientation isn't changed.
Pressing the right mouse button and dragging allows you to ‘examine’ an object, rolling the entire scene in the direction of the mouse movement. See the description of Examine Mode for more explanation.